Indian National Army (INA)
History of India
- PYQs8
- Articles1
Background
The INA is a crucial aspect of India's freedom struggle, highlighting diverse strategies, the role of international alliances (Axis powers), the impact of WWII on colonial empires, the charismatic leadership of Subhas Chandra Bose, and the significant contribution of the Indian diaspora.
The Indian National Army (INA), also known as Azad Hind Fauj, was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists during World War II in Southeast Asia with the aim of overthrowing British rule in India. It represented an alternative, armed struggle approach to India's independence movement, distinct from the non-violent methods advocated by Mahatma Gandhi.
Facts & tables
- Formation
- Initially formed in 1942 in Southeast Asia, later reorganized under Subhas Chandra Bose.
- Composition
- Composed of Indian prisoners of war and civilian volunteers from the Indian diaspora.
- Leadership
- Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose assumed leadership in 1943, establishing the Provisional Government of Free India (Azad Hind).
- Objective
- Aimed to march into India with Japanese forces to liberate the country from British rule.
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | Indian National Movement |
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| Indian National Army (INA) | Military force |
| Provisional Government of Free India (Azad Hind) | Political entity |
| Indian Independence League (IIL) | Mobilization and coordination |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Multi-statement analysis
Prelims angle: Factual recall
- Formed in 1942 in Southeast Asia, initially by Mohan Singh.
- Reorganized and led by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose from 1943.
- Aimed to liberate India from British rule with Japanese assistance.
- Established the Provisional Government of Free India (Azad Hind).
- Comprised Indian POWs and civilian volunteers from the diaspora.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
| 2026 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2022 | Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis |
| 2021 | Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis |
| 2021 | Factual recall |
| 2020 | Statement-based questions, Factual recall |
| 2017 | Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis |
| 2013 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
Timeline
-
Indian National Movement
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2013
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2017
Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis
-
Prelims 2020
Statement-based questions, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2021
Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis
-
Prelims 2021
Factual recall
-
Prelims 2022
Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis
-
Prelims 2026
Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2026
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
The hidden history of the Thai-Bharat connection
The INA was a military force formed during WWII by Indian nationalists in Southeast Asia, led by Subhas Chandra Bose, to fight for India's independence with Japanese support, establishing the Provisional Government of Free India.
See also
Past papers
2021–2026 · 3 questions
In the news
The hidden history of the Thai-Bharat connection
The INA was a military force formed during WWII by Indian nationalists in Southeast Asia, led by Subhas Chandra Bose, to fight for India's independence with Japanese support, establishing the Provisional Government of Free India.
Try these PYQs
Which of the following factors contributed to the formation of the Forward Bloc by Subhas Chandra Bose in 1939 ?
1. Bose failed to win the confidence of Mahatma Gandhi.
2. The Congress Left was disunited and failed to support Bose.
3. The Communists did not support Bose in his endeavours.
4. The supporters of M.N. Roy and socialist leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan preferred Congress unity to supporting Bose.
Select the answer using the code given below :
Statement 1 is Correct: Subhas Chandra Bose failed to win the confidence of Mahatma Gandhi. After Bose's re-election as INC President in 1939, Gandhi declared the defeat of his candidate, Pattabhi Sitaramayya, as his own defeat, indicating a lack of confidence in Bose. Statement 2 is Correct: The Congress Left was disunited and failed to support Bose. The Congress Socialist Party, Communists, and Royists were fragmented and did not present a united front behind Bose during the Tripuri Crisis. Statement 3 is Incorrect: While the Communists did not support Bose's radical approach, this was not a direct factor in the formation of the Forward Bloc. Their stance was more about maintaining unity under Gandhi rather than directly opposing Bose's endeavors. Statement 4 is Correct: Supporters of M.N. Roy and socialist leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan preferred Congress unity over supporting Bose. They abstained from voting on the Govind Ballabh Pant resolution, which effectively withdrew their support from Bose to prevent a split in the Congress. Therefore, the correct option is B, which includes statements 1, 2, and 4.
Consider the following freedom fighters:
1. Barindra Kumar Ghosh
2. Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee
3. Rash Behari Bose
Who of the above was/were actively associated with the Ghadar Party?
The Ghadar Party was a revolutionary movement organized by Indian immigrants in the United States and Canada to end British rule in India. Rash Behari Bose, one of the most prominent leaders of the Indian National Movement, was actively associated with the Ghadar Party. He was one of the masterminds behind the Delhi conspiracy case and participated in the Ghadar movement. However, Barindra Kumar Ghosh and Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee were not prominently associated with the Ghadar Party. Barindra Kumar Ghosh was an Indian revolutionary and journalist, and one of the founding members of the Jugantar Bengali weekly, a revolutionary outfit in Bengal. Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee was also a prominent freedom fighter but his association with the Ghadar Party is not well documented. Therefore, only Rash Behari Bose was actively associated with the Ghadar Party among the options provided.
In the context of Colonial India, Shah Nawaz Khan, Prem Kumar Sehgal, and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon are remembered as
Officers of the Indian Army: Shah Nawaz Khan, Prem Kumar Sehgal, and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon were senior officers of the Indian National Army (INA), which was led by Subhas Chandra Bose. They are remembered for their significant roles in the INA and their court-martial by the British at Red Fort in 1945. Members of the Interim Government: The Interim Government of 1946 was formed on 2nd September 1946, as a transitional government before India's independence. Congress Members - Jawaharlal Nehru – Vice President & External Affairs and Commonwealth Relations
- Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel – Home, Information & Broadcasting
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad – Food & Agriculture
- Maulana Abul Kalam Azad – Education
- Asaf Ali – Railways & Transport
- C. Rajagopalachari – Industry & Supplies
- Jagjivan Ram – Labour
- John Mathai – Finance
- Sarat Chandra Bose – Works, Mines & Power Muslim League Members - Liaquat Ali Khan – Finance
- I.I. Chundrigar – Commerce
- Abdur Rab Nishtar – Posts & Air
- Ghazanfar Ali Khan – Health
- Jogendra Nath Mandal – Law Members of the Drafting Committee in the Constituent Assembly
- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar – Chairman (Law expert and key architect of the Indian Constitution)
- N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar - K.M. Munshi
- Mohammad Saadullah
- N. Madhava Rao - T.T. Krishnamachari - Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer
With reference to the Indian freedom struggle, consider the following events:
1. Mutiny in Royal Indian Navy
2. Quit India Movement launched
3. Second Round Table Conference
What is the correct chronological sequence of the above events?
The Second Round Table Conference took place in London in September 1931. It aimed to discuss constitutional reforms in India but ultimately failed to reach a consensus. The Quit India Movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi in August 1942, demanding an immediate end to British rule in India. The Mutiny in Royal Indian Navy occurred in February 1946. It was a major uprising by Indian sailors against the British Raj, though it happened after the Quit India Movement. Thus correct chronology of events is 3-2-1 i.e. option 'C'.
With reference to 8th August 1942 in Indian history, which one of the following statements is correct?
On 8th August 1942, the Quit India Resolution was adopted by the All India Congress Committee (AICC). This was a significant event in the Indian freedom struggle as it marked the launch of the Quit India Movement, led by Mahatma Gandhi, demanding an end to British Rule in India. The other options are not related to this specific date. - The Viceroy’s Executive council was indeed expanded to include more Indians, but this was part of the August Offer in 1940, not on 8th August 1942. - The Congress ministries did resign in seven provinces, but this happened in 1939, not in 1942. - Lastly, Cripps did propose an Indian Union with full Dominion Status, but this was part of the Cripps Mission, which also did not occur on 8th August 1942. Therefore, the correct answer is that the Quit India Resolution was adopted by the AICC on this date.
Show 3 more PYQs
Annie Besant was:
1. Responsible for starting the Home Rule Movement
2. The founder of the Theosophical Society
3. Once the President of the Indian National Congress
Select the correct statement/statements using the codes given below.
Statement 1 is correct: Annie Besant started the Home Rule Movement in 1916 in India, around the same time as Bal Gangadhar Tilak started his own Home Rule League. The movement sought self-government for India within the British Empire. Statement 2 is incorrect: The Theosophical Society was founded in 1875 in New York by Madame H.P. Blavatsky and Colonel H.S. Olcott. Annie Besant later became its prominent leader after it moved to Adyar (Madras), but she was not the founder. Statement 3 is correct: Annie Besant was elected as the President of the Indian National Congress in 1917 (Calcutta Session).
Consider the following assertion :
**The genesis of political alliances based on community lay in the very nature of the Montague-Chelmsford Reforms, 1919.**
Which of the following statements support/supports the above assertion ?
1. Reforms retained and extended the principle of separate electorates.
2. Separate electorates were supposed to counter Indian nationalism, which was growing stronger.
3. Deprived classes rallied around the favours inherent in separate electorates.
Select the answer using the code given below :
Statement 1 is Correct: The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (Government of India Act, 1919) not only retained the separate electorates for Muslims (first introduced by the Morley-Minto Reforms of 1909) but explicitly extended them to Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians, and Europeans. This institutionalized community-based representation, directly fostering political alliances based on community. Statement 2 is Correct: The British utilized separate electorates as a strategic tool of "Divide and Rule." By institutionalizing communal and class divisions, the colonial government aimed to fragment and weaken the increasingly unified Indian nationalist movement, which was growing stronger at the time. Statement 3 is Correct: The 1919 constitutional framework tied political representation, legislative power, and administrative favors directly to communal and class identities. Consequently, various minority groups and deprived classes began organizing politically around these specific identities to secure concessions and representation, which laid the genesis for community-based political alliances in India. Therefore, all three statements support the assertion, making the correct option D.
With reference to the book “Desher Katha” written by Sakharam Ganesh Deuskar during freedom struggle, consider the following statements
1. It warned against the Colonial State’s hypnotic conquest of the mind.
2. It inspired the performance of swadeshi street plays and folk songs.
3. The use of ‘desh’ by Deuskar was in the specific context of the region of Bengal.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
The book "Desher Katha" written by Sakharam Ganesh Deuskar was a significant contribution to the Indian freedom struggle. Statement 1 is correct. The book indeed warned against the Colonial State's hypnotic conquest of the mind. Deuskar was a staunch nationalist and vehemently opposed the colonial rule in India. His book was a critique against the colonial rule. Statement 2 is also correct. Deuskar's work inspired the performance of swadeshi street plays and folk songs. His writings were influential in promoting the Swadeshi movement. Statement 3 is incorrect. The use of 'desh' by Deuskar was not in the specific context of the region of Bengal. Deuskar, though of Marathi origin, was brought up in a Bengali set-up and acted as a bridge between Maharashtra and Bengal's renaissance. His use of 'desh' was more in the context of the nation as a whole, rather than specifically Bengal. Therefore, the correct answer is that statements 1 and 2 are correct.